The Chromecast is in high demand. In fact, most retailers are still sold out of the $35 Google media streamer. Developers are already tinkering with the Chromecast APIs to make use of the device, but CheapCast is a little different. This new app allows you to emulate the Chromecast on any Android device.

Simply fire up the app, and start the service. That's really it—there's no configuration needed to get CheapCast working. Although, you can change the name of the virtual Chromecast on your network (the default is name is CheapCast). This is also an option to have CheapCast started automatically when the device boots.

This app is described as a very early beta, so some things might not work correctly on all devices. There is a persistent notification available when the ChromeCast is running to restart or stop the service. Sometimes a quick restart is required to clear an error.

Once you have CheapCast activated, other devices on your network will be able to send video and audio to the phone or tablet. There are only a few apps that work with the Chromecast right now, so your options are limited. YouTube streaming wirks well and is very fast. Google Play Music is also snappy and error-free. Netflix seems to be the most trouble at this stage. The app often fails to detect the CheapCast as a valid casting location.

One of the most interesting parts of the Chromecast is tab casting from desktop Chrome, but that does not appear to be working yet with CheapCast. The Chrome extension just doesn't see the CheapCast device on the network. Likewise, desktop video players on YouTube and Netflix don't detect CheapCast.

The use case for the Chromecast is clear—it pipes video into a TV. With CheapCast, it's more murky. The target Android device can probably stream all the same content you are sending to it. However, a device with HDMI-out instantly becomes a replacement for the Chromecast. Plug it into a TV and it could accomplish the same things. You'll be able to remotely control media streaming from another device without getting up to mess with the phone or tablet tethered to the TV.

CheapCast is free, but there are a few hitches. For a beta app emulating a completely different device on Android, it does pretty well.

Ryan Whitwam is a freelance tech/science writer and fan of all things electronic. This long-time skeptic and former research scientist is a lover of the em dash and a defender of the Oxford comma. He also writes for Geek.com and ExtremeTech.
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